Cities in traditional Chinese fiction and their modern interpretation

Abstract

The complex space of cities exerted a profound and far-reaching influence on traditional Chinese fiction writing. Starting from the description of city spaces, particularly urban landmarks, as the backdrop for stories and ranging through the urban political culture of political struggles, power symbols, the selection of talent, and festivals and carnivals to the daily life of city dwellers with their dreams of prosperity, legendary love stories and inner yearning for justice , the cities of traditional Chinese fiction offer us a picture that goes far beyond the merely geographic to show political and cultural indicators and the content s of daily life. Such descriptions created vivid and distinct city images that in turn became the common life experience and cultural imagination of urban dwellers and offered a common cultural identity and standpoint for those living in the same city.